The present invention relates to the art of packaging, to packaged products and to their methods of preparation. More particularly, the present invention relates to an easy pour bag fabricated from a flexible packaging film especially for food products.
A wide variety of products are packaged in bags or pouches fabricated from flexible packaging film especially vertical form fill and seal bags. These packaged bag products are often for bulk quantities of contained materials, especially dry materials. For example, bulk quantities can be for household use such as for water softener salt, cement, garden or landscaping materials or chemicals, (e.g., fertilizer, sand, mulch), pet food, etc. Bulk quantities can be packaged for commercial or industrial applications. Among commercial applications, the present invention finds particular suitability for use in food service applications. For example, a wide variety of food products are packaged in bulk for food service venues such as cafeterias (especially college or university or military facilities, hospitals or nursing homes, etc.), hotels, and restaurants.
In particular, ready-to-eat or breakfast cereals are typically packaged in bulk for use at food service venues. Once opened, the contents can be used to fill particular food dispensers (See, for example, US Des 384,863 “Bulk Dispenser For Comestibles” issued Oct. 14, 1997 to Danemayer or US Des. 390,753 “Bulk Dispenser For Comestibles” issued Feb. 17, 1998 to Danemayer, or U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,754 “Bulk Dispenser For Comestibles” issued Oct. 27, 1998).
Conventional pouches or bags include closure transverse seals or closure generally at right angles to the bag body. While useful, opening and dispensing the contents from such bulk opened bag can be awkward resulting in spillage of the food product. Not only does such spillage result in lost product but also spilled product requires clean-up. With a conventional bag, when the bag of, for example, cereal is poured into a bulk dispenser the intuitive way for the user to hold the bag is by the main body holding both the bag material and the cereal. This is awkward and adds to the mess that is generated when pouring. When the top seal is changed from the conventional 90° or right angle (relative to the main bag body) to an oblique angle as in the present invention, it becomes more natural for the user to grab the bag by the side. The bag forms a natural handle increasing the ease of pouring and reducing the probability of spilling cereal. This natural handle is a benefit resulting from the top seal being placed at an oblique angle. Also, while such problems of conventional bags and the advantages of the present easy pour bag are applicable to the filling of Ready-To-Eat cereal dispensers, such problems of conventional bags and advantages of the present bags are even more applicable when the bags are used to add contents to individual cereal bowls in large numbers such as for school cafeterias.
Thus, it would be desirable for such bulk pouches to include a feature that facilitates dispensing therefrom. Moreover, it would be desirable for such an easy pour feature be intuitively easy to use without need for instruction.